


You Ought to Give Me Wedding Rings

by ratherbehere



Series: Chasing Cars [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 17:19:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1193349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ratherbehere/pseuds/ratherbehere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Timestamp to Chasing Cars. Set Christmas 2019.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Ought to Give Me Wedding Rings

**Christmas 2019: The Winchester Home**

The bell echoed down the halls of the house. Castiel always insisted on ringing it first, no matter how many times Dean told him it was unnecessary. Dean may have moved out six years ago to start a new home with Cas, but that didn’t mean this wasn’t still home too. Still, Cas believed it was only fair to at least give them a warning that they had arrived before Dean threw the door open and barged inside. So Cas rang it, and  _then_  Dean barged on inside.

“We’re here!” Dean called out loudly. He grinned when he saw Sam. “Hey Sammy,” he said at a normal decibel again. “How’s school? How’s Jess? Still putting up with your mooseness?”

“Cas still putting up with your squirrelness?” Sam retaliated with a quirked eyebrow.

“Bitch,” Dean said fondly.

“Jerk,” Sam replied with a warm smile. He shifted on the couch. “School’s fine, just a ton to study,” Sam said, already moving to pick up the next book. He was nearly buried on the sofa, trying to share it with about 15 million textbooks and a couple packs of highlighters, post it notes, and 2 dozen pencils.

Dean elbowed Cas. “That look familiar?” he said in a whisper.

Castiel smiled. “All too much.”

“I hope you’re planning on stopping all that, now that we’re here,” Dean said, ruffling Sam's hair.

Sam sighed, waving Dean’s hands away. “Too much to do.”

Castiel laid his free hand on his shoulder. The other arm was holding a ham. “Take it from someone who went through eight years of higher education- it will get done, sooner than you think. And I think the PlayStation in the basement could use some action.”

Dean shot him a grateful look and mouthed, “Thank you.”

Cas mouthed, “You’re welcome,” back.

“Oh for Christ’s Sakes, if I come play Star Wars will you stop with the stupid sappy couple stuff?” Sam asked putting his book down to rejoin the others.

Dean grinned. “Maybe. I can give you at least an hour.”

Sam huffed. “I’ll take it.” His eyes were soft though. He’d never really stopped being their biggest supporter.

Dean hugged his mom in the kitchen as they passed through, and Cas handed her the ham. Her eyes twinkled as mischievously as his. She put the ham down and hugged Cas before he could disappear with her sons into the basement.

“You don’t have to keep doing this,” she reminded him, yet again.

“I know,” Cas said. “But I find that now that I have family traditions, I want to keep them. Even if altered a little.”

Mary gave him another squeeze, patting his arm gently as he smiled back at her. “Go,” she said, motioning to the door. “Before Dean gets grumpy.”

“He can go five minutes without me.”

“But he’s never happy about it,” Mary added teasingly. “Have fun taking over the galaxy.”

Sam and Dean handed him a controller when he sank into the couch cushions. It was surreal in a way, it always was. Him and Dean rarely had time to play together any more, with Cas being in residency and Dean’s long hours at child services. Star Wars Battlefronts was reserved for Christmas time at the Winchesters.

Castiel laughed as Sam and Dean adopted accents to narrate their adventures in the game. He didn’t even care that his score was, very unusually, the lowest. He was home, and he knew, without a doubt, this was going to be a Christmas to remember.

~

They played two full boards, with Castiel stopping in between to call Anna and check on her Christmas.  After three full hours of gaming, Dean set his controller down and cringed when he realized how close dinner was. And therefore, how close it was to present time.

After Dean had moved out, they switched presents to after dinner, since he and Cas had their own morning traditions now. It also gave them time to digest the heavy and delicious dinner before dessert. Well, for everyone but Dean, who simply had two rounds of dessert.

When Castiel and Sam headed back upstairs, Dean took the opportunity to center himself, and told them he’d be up in a minute. His jacket lay on the couch, where he’d discarded it earlier. He fished a small box out of the pocket and opened it up. A gold band with a light etching of concentric circles lay inside.  He checked the engraving one more time, feeling silly for picking such a sentimental saying. Cas would love it though, and that’s what mattered.

He just hoped he wouldn’t screw it all up when the time came to present it.

He shut the box gently and slid it into his pants’ pocket, tugging his carefully over-layered shirts around to make sure it was hidden.  It had been safer in his jacket, but he didn’t want to have to come back down for it.

Dean crossed the threshold to the upstairs at the same time he heard John ask where in the world the 25 pound, gourmet, fancy-ass ham had come from.

“You wouldn’t speak so crassly if you knew,” Castiel said, with mock sadness. “The pig, Mr. Squiggly, was a dear friend of mine, and he came down with a bad case of swine pox. I comforted him on his deathbed, and his dying wish was to grace our table and provide us a delicious Christmas dinner.”

John had been chuckling before Castiel finished the first sentence. His eyes twinkled.

“Dean,” John called, spotting him. “Marry this guy.”

The blush Dean sported likely covered every inch of his body and then some.

Castiel smiled at him from across the room and winked. He only blushed further.

Dean cleared his throat. “When’s dinner?”

The dinner was almost ready, and by the time Bobby arrived ten minutes later, grumbling about old man things like snow and aching hips, it was time to eat. Bobby slapped Cas on the back as he passed him on the way to the dining room, and in Bobby language, that was better than a hug.

Dean was completely distracted as they ate. He kept glancing to Castiel, watching his face light up as he spoke with Sam about how fascinating noetics was or something like that, watching his slim fingers wield his utensils like he would be graded on his form, and every time he thought he could move on, he was lost in Castiel again. The ring was heavy in his pocket and he swallowed nervously several times.

“So kid,” Bobby said, leaning into him, “Explain to me again how you got your mitts on a second 1967 Chevy Impala.”

Dean grinned. This was a distraction he could work with.

When dinner was over and everyone too stuff to eat, except for Dean who managed to get a slim piece of cherry pie in his belly, they headed into the family room. The Christmas tree in the corner was the visual focus, and it almost made Dean a little sad that Cas hadn’t bought it. When they had moved into their condo, shortly after Cas finalized the business technicalities with John, his Dad had resumed buying the tree. Cas had insisted it wasn’t Christmas unless he contributed something, and that the something must always be accompanied by a tale. It was a weird family tradition, but Dean figured most were.

Dean’s heart still skipped a little when his eyes landed on the Christmas stocking they had made Cas all those years ago. He has no idea how they knew it, he certainly hadn’t figure it out at that point, but somehow they knew Castiel was going to be around for a while.

Well. He was going to be around for a lot longer.

The presents under the tree no longer held as much interest, and wasn’t that just weird. For one, he knew what half of them were, being presents he and Cas had brought over two days ago to give out to the family. But more importantly, Dean was growing up, and the material possessions under the tree didn’t mean nearly as much as the family around him. Especially the man currently sinking into the arm chair.

Cas patted the spare space left in the seat and Dean quickly went to fill it, ending up half on top of Cas.

John settled on the floor and began handing out presents. It was another thing that had changed. Cas had suggested that John play Santa and hand out presents so that it would be a more relaxed affair and everyone could see each other opening up the gifts. Dean had objected. He liked digging under the tree, as it was one of the few things that make him feel like he was 8 again, and not 28.

As he snuggled into Castiel and waited for a present to be handed to him, he was rather glad he lost that argument.

Presents are exchanged amongst light chitchat, smiles and laughter. It’s absolutely perfect. Until it’s over and everyone makes their way back to the dining room for pie. Then the nerves took over.

“Hey Cas,” Dean said softly, grabbing his hand to stop him from leaving the room. “I’ve got one more thing to give you.”

When he was sure they’re alone, he took a deep breath, and tried to begin, but the words wouldn’t come out.

“Dean,” Cas said gently, his deep voice a comforting balm. “What is it?”

He found himself down on one knee before he willingly commanded his body to do so. “Cas, you are the best damn thing that has ever happened to me. And I. I want you by my side. Forever.” He fished the box out of his pocket, ignoring the way Castiel’s eyes are starting to swim. “It’s uh. It’s not legal in Kansas yet, but I was hoping you’d wear this ri-”

Castiel was on his knees, squishing him in hugs and smothering him in kisses, before Dean got the last word out.

“There is little in life that would make me happier,” Cas said, taking the ring gently from the box.

Dean frowned at the word choice but shrugged it off. “It’s engraved,” he said.

He watched Cas angle the band and read the small saying on the inside.

 _Come what may_.

Dean’s smothered in kisses again, and for once, he didn’t care that Sam was eating all the pie.

~

Castiel stared at the ring like he’d been struck by happy lightening. He couldn’t stop. For something he had strong suspicions about, he was still so amazed and could not force himself to stop staring at the ring, with a few glances at Dean, if he tried. Mary had squealed when they told her, Bobby and John had slapped him on the back again, and Sam actually got a little misty eyed. They were still talking about it, about what it might mean, how they could get it legitimized, but Castiel barely heard it over how loudly he stared at the ring.

It sure explained why Dean was acting funny.

And it sure was going to make things very interesting, here in a little bit.

Dessert was delicious, or so Castiel assumed it was. It was always delicious, but he didn’t eat very much, being distracted by a certain ring.

After the plates had been cleared and everyone was full again, Sam sat down at the piano and started playing. Bobby rolled his eyes, as he always rolls his eyes at this point in the evening, but he joined in to Rudolph with more gusto than anyone else.

Things wound down after that, Bobby clearing out for the evening, Sam disappearing into the backroom to study. Mary went to clean up some more in the kitchen, and John, fighting Bobby for the grumpiest old man, headed upstairs to bed.

Cas slid into the piano bench as Sam left. Dean gave him a curious look, but waited until they had all cleared out before Cas patted the bench and Dean slid in beside him.

“I want to play you a song,” Cas said softly.

He willed his shaking fingers to behave as he picked out a song he thought was appropriate. It was called “Come with Me” by the Goo Goo Dolls and it was truly gorgeous music. But it was the lyrics, calling the lover that would be by the singer’s side through all their years his “sweetest friend,” that has sold him.

The last note died out softly and Dean was staring at him with such love that all he wanted to do was press their lips together and never stop. But he wasn’t done yet, and there was something he wanted to do more.

“Earlier I said that there were few things that would make me happier than wearing the ring you gave me,” Castiel said. “The only thing that would make me happier is if you wore mine.”

He slid it out of his pocket, no box (he doesn’t wear as many layers as Dean to hide it), and held it up for Dean to see.

“Cas,” Dean gasped, the word broken. His eyes were shining, and Cas was stupidly happy about that. Dean never cried, and the tears said everything. “God yes.”

Dean reached slowly for the ring, like he couldn’t believe it was there. This band also had circles, but the pattern was slightly different. It was striking, how similar it was to the one Castiel now wore.

“It’s also engraved,” Castiel said gently, watching Dean tilt the ring to read.

_Until the end of time._

They both now had lyrics from “their song” engraved on the rings they wore, and the missing lyric, the one implied in the middle and etched on their hearts to be all their own was, “I will love you.”

“How did you know?” Dean asked, his voice still rough.

“I didn’t,” Castiel said. “Ten years, Dean. We’ve been together ten years, and we still just  _know_.”

Dean pulled their mouths together and kissed Castiel like he would never get enough of it. “We are going to have such awesome sex when we get home,” he said into Castiel’s lips.

Castiel was chucking when he heard Sam call down the hallway, “Are you done being all properly gross yet? Is it safe to come congratulate you again? You’re not as quiet as you think you know.”

He was still laughing as Mary wrapped her arms around him. Even John made his way back downstairs, and he only looked slightly grumpy about not being in bed.

He looked even less grumpy when Mary broke out a bottle of scotch and proposed a toast.

“To love,” Mary proposed, holding up her glass.

Castiel, however, was shaking his head. He had a better toast. “To family,” he suggested.

“To both,” Dean amended to nods and smiles.

It was, without a doubt, the best Christmas they’d ever had.


End file.
